Engulfment risks are some of the most overlooked hazards in agricultural operations. The most common types of engulfment hazards are in grain silos, where a worker can quickly become trapped and buried by a sudden flow of grain. But there are also a number of engulfment hazards besides grain silos. Workers can also be engulfed […]
Construction firms are reeling from snowballing costs of building materials due to spiking demand and supply chain snarls that are resulting in massive budget cost overruns. This is especially affecting construction businesses that are managing apartment or commercial projects. These cost overruns are imperiling profits — and risking red ink — on the projects after […]
As we get closer to another scorching California summer, Cal/OSHA is reminding employers with outdoor workers to take precautions to protect them against the heat. California employers need to be especially mindful as Cal/OSHA has workplace safety regulations governing the prevention of heat illness and the agency actively enforces its heat illness prevention standard. Employers […]
Cal/OSHA has issued new language that amends its current COVID-19 emergency temporary standard and pushes back the expiration date of the ETS until the end of the year. The extension of the ETS comes as Cal/OSHA pushes ahead on creating a permanent airborne infectious disease prevention standard for general industry, which is expected to be […]
California’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau is recommending that benchmark workers’ compensation rates for all class codes in the state increase an average of 7.6%. The proposal comes as the economy heats up and, typically during times of growth, workplace injuries also increase. The recommendation, if approved by the state insurance commissioner, would affect all […]
More employers are using return-to-work programs for injured workers even if they were not injured on the job, according to a study by Prudential Insurance Co. of America. Many employers have a return-to-work program for their injured employees because it cuts down on workers’ comp claims costs and lets the worker get back to feeling […]
While ransomware is making the headlines as the major cyber threat for businesses, small and mid-sized organizations are increasingly being targeted by lower fraud that dupes them into wiring criminals funds, according to a new report. These funds transfer fraud crimes involve hackers gaining access to a company’s mailbox and extracting payments that go into […]
The deadline is fast approaching for employers with 5 or more workers in California, and who do not already offer their employees a retirement plan, to register their staff for the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program. Only California employers that do not offer retirement plans are required to register for CalSavers and there are different registration […]
With many companies having decided to allow staff to work remotely permanently or split time between working at home and in the office, employers have to be especially careful about timekeeping and complying with wage and hour laws. That includes requiring staff to show they take meal and rest breaks and are compensated for overtime […]
The latest trend in workplace safety best practices is tracking “leading indicators” ― or measuring performance based on the lessons learned from past events ― to reduce the chances of future injuries. Safety professionals are increasingly keeping track of near misses, hours spent on training and facility housekeeping and measuring the impact on the organization’s […]